The continued concern about Covid, playing in front of empty stadia and the most hectic schedule of matches fans can remember are a combination of issues never experienced before.
Big squads and luck with injuries are going to be key as will business done in the January transfer window, with the squad salary cap another unique problem for League One clubs.
The Peterborough Telegraph has assessed the state of play of the clubs in the top half of the table, but don’t rule out Blackpool who are currently 13th, but looked a top side when they won at Posh in November. The Seasiders were the only team to win a League One match at London Road in 2020.
Lincoln City, Saturday’s (January 9) Posh opponents, have established a gap at the top, but there are just nine points between second placed Hull City and Oxford United who are 12th.
Posh co-owner Dr Jason Neale remains confident his club will previal. He said in response to a PT request for League One promotion tips: ‘Same as on day one. Three from PUFC, Pompey, Hull and Ipswich. With a frequent League One manager of the month, a deep squad, the emergence of 4 Academy players and the return of Ricky-Jade Jones, the fastest forward in football, I think Posh can do it.”
The PT also make their own predictions here...
5.
OXFORD UNITED. Current position: 12th. Predicted finish: 8th. Probably because of a hangover caused by the failure to beat a terribly limited Wycombe Wanderers side in the League One play-off final last season, Oxford started the 2020-21 campaign horribly. But they are on fire now having won their last four matches to sneak into the top half of the table. Matty Taylor (pictured) has started scoring regularly and they have a very talented on-loan winger in Olamide Shadipo. One team usually flies up the table in the second half of the season and Oxford look the most likely to do that at this point. Defensively there are still concerns though and the goalkeeper position has been a problem for a lot of the season. Posh fans won’t agree, but manager Karl Robinson knows what he’s doing at League One level so don’t rule them out.
6.
LINCOLN CITY. Current position: 1st. Predicted finish: 7th. Even self-confident manager Michael Appleton must be surprised at the rapid progress made by the Imps following a summer overhaul of the playing squad. Fantastic away form has propelled Lincoln to the top of the table ahead of a host of more-fancied clubs. Appleton has made cracking loan signings like attacker Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest who made his full Wales debut earlier this season and this week they captured exciting teenage forward Morgan Rogers from Manchester City. Wide player Jorge Grant (pictured), a set-piece specialist, is their key man though. Lincoln have come unstuck against the top sides with Sunderland, Portsmouth and Doncaster all beating them very comfortably which should give Posh hope for their first meeting with the Imps at Sincil Bank on Saturday.
7.
PETERBOROUGH UNITED. Current position: 5th. Predicted finish: 6th. Posh reached the top of League One after seven straight wins without ever getting anywhere near the outstanding form they were showing at the back end of last season. It wasn’t therefore that great a surprise when results started to tail off, although getting so comprehensively outplayed by Crewe and Blackpool was concerning. Manager Darren Ferguson will be keen to get more from Sammie Szmodics (pictured) and he will hope the transfer request from Siriki Dembele doesn’t become too much of a distraction for the rest of a very busy January. Posh do have reasonable cover for all positions apart from centre forward, something that might be addressed in January. Perhaps significantly Posh have only played eight home games, where they remain strong, this season.
8.
DONCASTER ROVERS: Current position: 4th. Predicted finish: 5th. Every season I expect Doncaster to struggle and every season they confound me by using the loan market impressively. They’ve done it again this season with the arrival of Josh Sims from Southampton a real transfer coup. Rovers also have the best midfielder in the division in Ben Whiteman (pictured) and if they can stave off inevitable interest in him during the January transfer window (Preston are chasing him hard) they should be shoo ins for the play-offs. One concern, and this might not yet make sense for the joint top scorers in the division, is the lack of a prolific goalscoring striker. Whiteman, a penalty king, and defender Reece James are the club’s top scorers this season. Doncaster have shown already this season they can outplay the best having seen off Charlton, Portsmouth, Ipswich and Lincoln.